READ:  Buckley file (PDF)

The incident started when Shaw began clapping after Buckley had returned with a group of four girls who was the last to finish a mapping exercise. The university’s vice-chancellor said Buckley appears to have ” just lost it” and that he had lost confidence in her ability to interact with students in a safe and professional manner.

Buckley said in a statement that no one is certain what really happened and she said her decision to resign at the end of the school year had nothing to do with the incident.

The Milwaukee County Zoo’s groundhog, Wynter, did not see her shadow this morning either. Wynter didn’t make her prognostication until mid-morning – why so late? The zoo’s Jenny Diliberti says Wynter has always come out at 10:30, partly because the zoo doesn’t open until 9:30, which give visitors plenty ot time to see the event. In Pennsylvania, Phil saw his shadow, so maybe Keystone state residents will have six more weeks of winter.

Chandra Lynn, WIBA

On Saturday night, 23-year-old Laura Kaeppeler of Kenosha won the Miss America crown and a $50,000 scholarship during the pageant in Las Vegas. She’s the first Miss America from Wisconsin since Terry Ann Meeuwsen in 1973.

Kaeppeler’s father spent 18 months behind bars for mail fraud. She said she will encourage families in similar situations to improve ties and move forward together.

Kaeppeler says she wants children of incarcerated adults to feel like they are not alone. She wants to make sure they have access to mentors and are able to have as much of a relationship with their parents as possible.

Kaeppeler, who won the Miss Wisconsin pageant last summer, said there are more than two million children with parents in jail.

AUDIO: Officer Howard Payne (:30)

According to the police report, officers approached Bop-Bop after receiving neighborhood complaints of excessive drinking in a city park. Bop-Bop, under probation for a previous arrest for carrying a concealed handgun, was found to be in possession of a knife, along with drugs and drug paraphernalia. Enroute to the Dane County Jail, Bop-Bop told officers he would “get even with them.”

Robin Colbert, WIBA

Police in the Racine County Village of Mount Pleasant got a complaint about an intoxicated male at the Village Hall attempting to pay his taxes. Being just on the other side of their brand new complex, a couple of officers walked right over.

The complaints from other citizens in line waiting to pay their taxes and from village employees led to a discussion with the 55-year-old man, who admitted driving there — alone, to get the taxes paid. The strong odor of intoxicants on his breath led to the man being arrested for Operating While Intoxicated, with a blood alcohol level of .15 – after he got to pay his taxes.

Tom Karkow, WRJN, Racine

(PHOTO: State treasurer's office)

It was a good year for returning lost property.

The treasurer’s office exceeded its previous record of returning $32.8 million in unclaimed property. Wisconsin State Treasurer Kurt Schuller continues to dole out misplaced or forgotten property to happy recipients in the state. No matter how much money he returns to the rightful owners, Schuller says, he just keeps finding more. “I started out the year with $405 million; I gave back $33.5 million and I still have $411 million to give back.”

Schuller says more than 26,000 Wisconsinites got a check from his office this year, that’s money they didn’t know they had. So, where is the money coming from; what exactly is unclaimed property? “We’re talking about stocks that were bought long ago in the family name, bank accounts, safety deposit boxes, insurance policies that demutualized, bank accounts that you forgot about — you moved, utility deposits.”

Schuller says there are many ways people lose track of money, but relocation is a big reason. He says when people move, businesses or old employers might not know how to contact them. Schuller says he used facebook to track down a woman who had $225,000 coming to her. The treasurer’s office is currently working with the state Veterans Department to get a hold of over 4,000 Wisconsin veterans who are unaware of their unclaimed property.

Schuller’s office returned $33,891,714 this year, over $1 million more than last year’s record of $32,836,258. Begin your search immediately by accessing the unclaimed property database 24/7/365 or call 877-699-9211 to speak with a claims examiner.

AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report 1:46

It’s a phenomenon being seen at several stores across the country. Store assistant manager Vicki Collier-Vereb says the donations have come from multiple sources and have ranged from between $50 to $300.

AUDIO: Vicki Collier-Vereb (:19)

Several of the donors have come in to the store, although at least one person called from another state.

Collier-Vereb say many recipients of the random generosity are near tears when they find out their bill has been paid off. She believes those stepping up with the donations are “paying forward” some goodwill to help families feeling the financial pinch.

Beth Wheelock, WCLO

(PHOTO: Courtesy of Rep. Paul Ryan's office)

The editors at Time Magazine call House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan “the most influential American politician.” However, the Janesville Republican does not get the highest honors; the Person of the Year designation goes to a composite person: “the protester.”

Ryan is surprised and gratified to be recognized as a runner-up, saying he’s just doing his job. “I was very surprised to hear about it. I’m just very humbled and it’s simply because I’m trying to put solutions out there to fix this crisis.”

Time gives Ryan kudos for being able to harness his party’s support for a dramatic budget plan necessary to “defuse the American debt bomb.” The magazine says Ryan had the “courage to look the future in the eye.”

Time cited Ryan’s “hard work, good timing, and possibly suicidal guts.” Ryan responds, “The way I look at this … if you want to be good at this kind of a job, you have to be willing to lose it. If you come to Washington and only worry about reelection, you’re not going to be an effective representative.”

Ryan, who was elected to the 1st Congressional District in 1998, says the people of southern Wisconsin sent him to DC to be “part of the solution, not part of the problem,” and that’s what he’s been doing — proposing ideas for growing the economy, paying off the debt, and preventing a debt crisis like the one in Europe. “To simply be acknowledged for putting those solutions on the table is very gratifying.”

AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report 1:25

AUDIO: James Gander (:55)

Stan Stricker, WCLO

The WIAA’s contract with the Kohl Center ends in 2013. The association is looking at moving the tournaments to Milwaukee or Green Bay because of conflicts with Badger hockey.

Mayor Paul Soglin says losing the tournaments to another city could result in a loss of more than $9 million in tourism revenues. He’s hoping the UW and the high school athletic association can reach some sort of agreement to keep student athletes coming to the Madison area each year.

AUDIO: Paul Soglin (:20)

Soglin says it just makes sense for the tournaments to be held in Madison, with students enjoying a chance to play in the same location as the Badgers.

A decision on where tournaments will be held in the future is expected within the next few weeks.

Robin Colbert, WIBA